Frequently Asked Questions

EQUIPMENT ORDERING / PURCHASING

What can I spend my STIPEND money on?
From the Summer Institute to May 1st, you may spend your stipend money on any field or lab equipment / materials / books / resources / visual aids / software / classroom supplies / AV materials that will help enhance watershed education in your classroom. Spend money on equipment needed for independent research projects. Spend money on experiment or classroom activity supplies that help you enhance water-related lesson plans. As long as the equipment will help you teach about waterways, conduct water-related research, or do data analysis, it is okay to buy. Creek Connections frowns upon spending stipend money on "non-related" equipment/materials, and will not place orders for non-related items. (Examples - buy your own astronomy stuff using school money, no cats for dissecting, no bunsen burners for your chemistry lab). We may be able to reimburse you for a personal expense on a non-related item, but that will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

How do I spend my STIPEND money?
Creek Connections will place the orders and get the equipment to you after it arrives. To let Creek Connections know what you want to buy, do one of the following:

1) Fill in the Shopper's Index, selecting what you want, and send it in;

2) Write down equipment and send it to Creek Connections (mail, fax or e-mail). To order equipment, we need to know the equipment item, company name from which is to be ordered, address, phone number, fax number, catalog number, and cost;

3) Call Creek Connections and let us know what you would like to buy;

4) Purchase equipment on your own and get reimbursed by Creek Connections (see next question).

Do I have to have Creek Connections make all my purchases?
No. Feel free to purchase things on your own or place orders through your school, but in order to be reimbursed by Creek Connections, you must have a receipt (send us a copy). Reimbursement checks are mailed by Allegheny's accounting office once a month. Nicky submits request forms for reimbursement on the 13th of the month and checks are sent out on the 20th. If you want to be reimbursed, make sure the project coordinator has the receipt by the 13th of the month.

Where can I learn about equipment / materials to buy with my stipend money?
Annually, Creek Connections produces a SHOPPER'S INDEX that lists many ideas for equipment and materials related to waterways. Prices are included. Also enclosed is an information sheet listing 1-800 numbers for many of the catalogs/companies
we purchase from. Each year, a session during the Summer Institute also helps teachers see some items to possibly purchase.

Can I buy something that is not on the Shopper's Index?
By all means, YES. If the item is not on the list, please include the following information for Creek Connections to successfully place an order: equipment item, company name from which is to be ordered, address, phone number, fax number, catalog number, and cost.

When do I have to spend my money by?
Stipend money used to buy equipment must be spent by May 1st. You must contact Creek Connections to make any exceptions. HOWEVER, teachers have a deadline of March 1 to submit equipment orders to Creek Connections. This date was chosen for a number of reasons: it is early enough that you can still use the new equipment during the current school year (keep in mind, equipment is supposed to used for research project anyway) and after mid-March, Creek Connections is too busy preparing for the symposium to place orders. Money can be spent after March 1 and orders can be placed, but they must be done by YOU. Creek Connections will not place equipment orders after mid-March. For exceptions, you must contact Creek Connections.

MONEY DOES NOT CARRY OVER FROM YEAR TO YEAR

When do I have to submit equipment orders to Creek Connections by?
March 1. See above question.

How long will it take to get the equipment I order?
That depends on a number of things: Creek Connections may not immediately process your order upon arrival; sometimes we have to consolidate our orders. Arrival of items also depends on if all items are in stock by the company. Creek Connections will send your new equipment soon after it arrives. In some cases, equipment may be delivered directly to your school from the company.

How do I find out how much money I have remaining in my stipend budgets?
Creek Connections sends out an expenditures sheet to each teacher a few times a year. You can always call or e-mail and ask or as well.

Under what circumstances is Creek Connections unable to place an order for a teacher?
If it is after March 1 OR you are out of money in your stipend budget. Also, Creek Connections cannot purchase things off the Internet - accounting office policy. So if you want quick Internet purchasing power, you have to do it and get a receipt. For instance, to purchase something from amazon.com, you must buy it yourself and then submit the receipt to the project coordinator for reimbursement.